Sunday, February 8, 2009

Dear Readers,Baba, in actuality, smoked very little and required only two to three chillums per year. The potter knew this. Nonetheless, he delivered two to three hundred chillums daily and demanded payment for them. The cost of a chillum was about two pie and Baba paid it. Thus the potter made a living.

Baba stacked these chillums in the corner of Dwarkmai. The devotees freely took the chillums and smoked them there or took them home. One day, Deo came for Baba's 'darshan' in the afternoon and seeing the stacks of chillums, asked Baba as to why He had stored them when He Himself needed only two to three per year. Baba replied, "What you say is correct. I don't need more than two to three chillums per year. But My devotees come here and smoke. Some take them unseen by us. So, I have stacked them here."

The magical chillum, like Baba's satka, was a constant companion of Baba's sojourn on earth. Blessed was the potter who made them, and blessed was the clay that touched Baba's hands and lips.

Chandbhai Patil was truly a blessed soul, who got the first taste of Baba's chillum. The bond and debt between them was great. As Baba, after smoking and sharing His chillum, actually went and stayed with Chandbhai. He was instrumental in bringing Baba back to Shirdi, along with the marriage party. After this event, it is history.

Baba bestowed His grace and favours on many a devotee by allowing them to smoke His chillum. The most amazing story is that of Balaram Dhurandar .He was troubled by bouts of coughing fits and suffered from asthma for six years. On his visit to Shirdi, he went to Dwarkamai, one afternoon, and with great humility, began pressing Baba's feet. Baba gave him His chillum to smoke. Accepting it as prasad, Balaram took a puff. The very effort was painful and incongruous to him. But he had utmost faith in Baba; so, he smoked a while and returned the chillum to Baba humbly.

Thence, his asthma vanished completely and he was greatly relieved. The chillum was so powerful and worked like a magical mantra on him. He wasn't tormented by breathlessness or coughing bouts thereafter. However, the day Baba took Mahasamadhi, the asthma was triggered again. He coughed all day long, that day and only that day did he cough and wasn't bothered by it again. Could he ever forget the experience of the clay pipe?

Ganesh S. Khaparde was a renowned, wealthy lawyer of Amravati. He was a loyal aid to Lokmanya Tilak, who was serving a six-year sentence in Burma. He had immense faith and a deep love for Baba. Baba in turn, kept him at Shirdi and rescued him from the clutches of the British, who were waiting for a chance to prosecute him for treason and sedition. He was politically involved in several agitations against the British.

His lucrative practice dwindled and his political ambitions were also at a standstill, because of his long stay at Shirdi, But Khaparde was a spiritual man, well versed in Sanskrit and the Puranas. Time and time again, during Arati, Baba made signs and offered His chillum, when he could unravel the answers.

At other times, the chillum would calm his restless mind and give him reassurances. On 22/01/1912, Khaparde says, "During the course of worship, He put two flowers in His nostrils and two others between His Ears and head. I thought this was His instruction, and when I interpreted it in my mind, He offered His chillum to me and thus confirmed it."(Shirdi diary)

Krishnaji J. Bhishma, the author of Sai Sagunopasan (Arati Book) was disgusted by the thought that the devotees were drinking Padtirtha of a Muslim, Sai Baba. He was horrified to see the Brahmin devotees puff the chillum after Baba had smoked it and mentally, he resolved not to do both.

One day, Baba narrated a story to him and it was the same dream vision, he had had earlier. While doing so, Baba casually passed His chillum to Bhishma. He took a puff and was thrown into complete bliss and ecstasy and changed for life. Thenceforth, he became an ardent devotee of Baba.

Bhagoji Shinde was the first devotee to enter the Dwarkamai in the morning. He came to do seva and bandage Baba's burnt hand. Baba smoked His chillum and passed it to Bhagoji, who also accepted it.

Even now in Shirdi , Baba is offered the chillum in the Chawdi on Thursdays and other Holy Days. On these days, the palki and rath procession is taken out with great pomp and show. Baba's 'Raj-Upchar' photograph is brought to the Chawdi and placed on the silver sinhasan and lagu-arati is performed.

During Adkars 'Arati Sai Baba, Soukhyadatara Jeeva', chillum is offered to Baba thrice. The honour of offering the chillum is given to the descendants of Tatya's family .Jai Sai Ram .